Chapter 612

Against her will, Katelina moved toward the doors. She was vaguely aware of Jorick shouting behind her, and of someone holding her arm. She pulled free and headed outside.

The National Guardsmen were clustered in the light, their guns pointed at the darkness.

"Identify yourself," one of them shouted. With the detached observation of a dream, Katelina noticed that his hands shook.

Something moved beyond the shadows. Then, she saw him. He stood, his head down. Waist length hair hid his face like a waterfall of darkness. Of slight build, a long coat hung from narrow shoulders. The wide sleeves reminded Katelina of a wizard's robe. His shirt and slacks were also black. To the humans' eyes, he was nothing but a piece of night.

She stepped closer to the soldiers, unheeded. Their terror throbbed. They didn't understand what was there, or what they were facing, but they knew it was something that shouldn't be there, something they needed to defend themselves against. Something wrong.